When I used to run my dogs in the fields near Kidsports Complex searching for pheasants and Huns we often encountered another bird: northern harriers. You’ve probably seen these mid-sized hawks if you spend time roaming around the marshes and grasslands the birds prefer.
What’s most recognizable about northern harriers is their flying style. The birds glide over the grasslands low to the ground, their wings held in a noticeable V-shape. The birds tilt from side to side, a little like turkey vultures. Harriers have outsized wings and a long, slender tail with a distinctive white band on their rump just above that tail. The birds are an otherwise nondescript grayish brown.
Unlike most hawks, harriers use sound as well as sight to locate pray, which accounts for the low elevation. I suppose at red-tailed hawk hunting heights it’s difficult to hear small mammals scurrying about in the underbrush.
I’ve never seen a northern harrier up close and it’s hard to see this when they are on the wing, but the birds have an owl-like face, the shape of which helps direct sound to their ears.
But I have seen a harrier or two go after prey, but it’s not as dramatic as the dive bomber style of red tails. The other day I was out on the chukar grounds getting the dog a little exercise and watched a harrier glide over a grassy plain. Then, as it neared a thick stand of sage, the bird whirled and dove, flushing a chukar.
Harriers are mostly mammal eaters, but as I can attest, chukar are delicious. I can’t really blame the hawk for trying to add some poultry to its diet.
Chukar pair up this time of year, preparing for nesting. I try to leave the birds be, as unharassed couples are more likely to produce big coveys. But in this case, since one bird had already flushed, I decided to lead Doll over to the sage to get her on a little scent. I didn’t see the second bird and thought it might have lingered.
We never found that second chukar. It likely ran off when the first bird flushed. But Doll could still smell them. As she worked upwind into the sage I could see as she slowed down, then began to catwalk in the belly dragging style of a focused bird dog with a nose full of obsession.
She went on false point a couple times, then when the scent trail didn’t lead to a bird, she worked back to get the wind between her and where she suspected the birds might be, then moved in again. One of my daughters was with me and she remarked that our dog looked like a cheetah, and she was right. Doll is a tall, lanky English setter and we could see her shoulder blades undulating like a stalking cheetah as she moved through the sage.
Even her markings contribute to her cat-like style. Doll’s primary color is white, but she’s covered with black spots that look a bit like the rosettes on the coats of some big cats. She’s a bit of an unusual looking dog and when I take her out in public I’m repeatedly asked if she’s a long-coated Dalmatian.
I never knew there was such a thing, but apparently smooth-coated Dalmatians will occasionally have long-haired offspring. The dogs look like black and white English setters to me, but I doubt they’d be of much use on the chukar grounds.
There’s good green up on the Bench so I’m optimistic for fall. It wasn’t the snowiest of winters in these parts, but early spring was particularly wet. Now if it can stay nice, with only an occasional rain to keep things moist, those boy-girl pairs should produce big coveys for fall.
As long as those northern harriers and Doll give the birds the space they need.